Kendrick Lamar Ponders His Legacy in 'Sing About Me'

Kendrick Lamar proved his greatness last year with his breakout album good kid, m.A.A.d city, but he's already pondering his legacy "when the lights shut off." In the first part (there's two installments!) of the new video for good kid track "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" the rapper reflects on that very topic with visual artist Eddie Peake, who creates a mixed-media art installation using lyrics from Lamar's haunting track.

"When the lights shut off, an artist's dream is that their work will stand the test of time," reads the video's opening text. "The ones that influence our culture are the ones we most remember." Lamar and Peake want to "elevate the status quo and lay ground to their legacy," and director Darren Romanell matches their lofty ambitions with moody, cinematic black-and-white visuals. It's a bleak juxtaposition of lyrical fragments and Lamar walking around his hometown of Compton, California.

The video's next installment arrives in January, which will be an eventful month for the rapper: He's nominated for seven Grammy awards including Best New Artist and Album of the Year. He'll perform along with artists like Pink, Merle Haggard and Daft Punk.